Reinforced wall structure



Sept. 26, 1950 J. B. PIATT 2,523,920

REINFORCED WALL STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 78 v JIE. 5' 9 Sept. 2 1950 J. B. PIATT 2,523,920

REINFORCED WALL STRUCTURE Filed- Feb. 7, 1946 2 Sneecs-Sheet 2 104 INVENTOR.

JESSE 5. PM TT BY 1'5. 70 a AT OR Patented Sept. 26, 1 950 UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,523,920 VREINFORCED i/VALLSTHUCTURE Jesse B. Piatt, New Lebanon, Ohio 7 Application February 7, 1946, Serial No. 646,154

This invention relates to a building construction or the like and more particularly to a building construction utilizing sheet material held in position by a plastic material held in forms, which plastic material may consist of con-' crete but not necessarily limited to concrete. 7

An object of this invention is to provide a skeletonwall construction utilizing concrete or other plastic material poured in position in situ after the adjacentsheet material has been as s'embled in position, the forms fo at least some of the plastic' material functioning asa temporary structure to hold the sheet material in position until the plastic material has" been poured.

Another object ofthis'invention is to provide a frame structure for supporting panel-like sheets, which frame structure forms a light weight network throughout the wall, bracing the wall both horizontally and. vertically.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a skeleton form. assembly forthe plastic frame structure, which skeleton form assembly is assembled with the sheets prior to pouring the plastic material.

Figure l is a perspective view of aportion of a wall with parts broken away and. shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with parts of the panels broken away and showing a portion of the frame structure in section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a clip used in retaining the panels in position. Q

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a channel member disclosing a modification.

Figure 5 discloses another modification.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a tubular member adapted to be used with the modifications disclosed in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 discloses another modification of a tubular formmember,

7 Claims. (01. 72 -16) suitable sheet material.

Figure Sis a perspective view of a blank in the process of being bent into shape.

Figure 9 .is a perspective View of another type of channel.

Figure 10 is a retaining member that may be used in connection with the channel shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 discloses another modification of a channel. V I

Figure 12 is. a hook that may be used with this channel.

Figure l3.is a side elevational view, with parts of the panels broken away, showing a frame structure using tubular members of the type shown in Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character Ill indicates. sheet metal panel members that may be made from plywood, wallboard, prefabricated impregnated panels, or any other These sheets are held in position by a plurality of clips I2 provided with Another object of this invention is to provide downwardly projecting tongues l4 and upwardly projecting tongues 16. The downwardly projecting tongues l4 overlap the outside of the top edge of thep-anels Ill and engage the inner wall of afsheet material channel member l8 provided with outwardly projecting flanges 2B. The flanges '20 are positioned between the sheets or panels. The channel member I8 is provided with spaced openings in the bottom thereof receiving form members or tubular members 22 that may be square in cross sectional area or rectangular in cross sectional area and provided with flanges 24 engaging the upper side of the bottom of the channel l8. The cross sectional area of members 22 is dependent upon the load to be supported, the strength of the materials used et cetera.

Reenforcing rods 26 may extend through the tubular members 22. These reenforcing rods are preferably broken or interrupted at the termination of each section. v

The structure is preferably assembled in tiers. The channel members I8 are laid on top of a pai of panel members In. The lower margins of the panel members In supporting the newly laid channel member l8 are held in position by the upstanding portion of the clips or fastening members 12 overlying the channel immediately below. The clips or fastening members l2 are then inserted along the top margin of the channel l8 and the panels ll] of the tier in the process of assembly. After the channel member has been mounted in position and clips l 2 assembled, the form members 22 are inserted into the apertures in the bottom of the channel l8. The re enforcing rods 26 are preferably positioned in the center of member 22. As best shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the form members are not long enough to extend the full vertical distance from the bottom of one channel to the bottom of an adjacent channel for a purpose explained hereinafter.

Concrete, or any other suitable plastic, is then poured into the upper ends of the forms 22 through the apertures or holes formed by form members 22, so as to flow into the channel member is located therebelow through the clearance provided between the lower ends of the forms 22 and the adjacent channel. The concrete is prefcrably quite fluid, so that it will flow into the channel. The upper channel is not filled at this time. The form member 22 need not be filled to the top, as it will be filled when the subsequent tier is inserted. The concrete, together with the form members 22, cooperate to form vertical columns. Panel members It forming the subsequent tier are then put into position; channels l8 hooked on top, members 22 passed through the apertures in the bottom of the channel member, the reenforcing rods inserted and the operation repeated.

Thus, the building is erected tier by tier. The panels may be any suitable height, as for example, one foot, sixteen inches, twenty-four inches, more or less. The apertures in the bottom of the channels are preferably so spaced that the concrete frame work forms square areas. The concrete does not come in contact with the panels, thereby reducing heat losses and reducing the chances of condensation forming along the concrete frame structure. The channel members and the form members may be made from sheet metal or from plastic materialand for some purposes possibly from fabricated sheet material formed into proper shape or contour. The clips or fastening members l2 are made from any sheet material, preferably sheet metal.

After the tiers have been constructed so as to complete the walls, a channel member may be inserted along the top and in due course filled with concrete, so as to provide a plate.

The cracks between adjacent panels, between abutting ends of the panels and along the corners are preferably caulked by a suitable caulking compound. The wall thus constructed is provided with dead air spaces between the channels that function as insulation. The panels may be made from insulating material, which adds to the insulation of the building. The concrete, together with the form members and the channel members, form a rigid frame structure formed in situ. I p

In Figure 4 a modified channel member has been shown. In this modification the channel 40 has been provided with side walls or flanges 42 having upwardly extending tongues 44 parallel to the side walls or flanges 42', horizontally disposed flange portions 46 merging into downwardly projecting flanges, and horizontally disposed flange portions 50 merging into upwardly projecting flanges 52. .The downwardly projectingfianges 48 cooperate with the side walls 42 to grip the upper margin of the panels. The panels inserted above the channel have their lower edges supported by the tongues 44 and the flange portions 52. By this arrangement the clips I 2 are not required, in that the clips are, so to speak, built into the margins of the channels. In the modification disclosed in Figure 4, round apertures 6B are located in the bottom of th channel,-

4. so as to accommodate tubular form members like the tubular form member 62, shown in Figure 6, provided with cars 64, for suspending the tubular form member upon the bottom of the channel. Whether the form members he rectangular, as form member 22, or round as form member 62, depends upon the material that is available and the requirements of the building.

In Figure 5 a ribbed sheet metal member 10, provided with a rib l2 and a plurality of apertures M has been shown. This member is provided with pairs of downwardly deflected flange portions 16, adapted to be mounted on the inside of the upper margin of the panel and downwardly projecting flange portions T8, adapted to engage the outer upper margin of the panel, so as to hold the panels in position and to provide a support for the tubular member 62 and a base for supporting concrete poured between the panels, in a manner similar to the concrete poured into the channels in the preferred embodiment. Member 19 has also been provided with upwardly projecting flanges 80, adapted to engage the inner side of the lower margin of the panels and flanges 82, adapted to engage the outer side of the lower margin of the panels. This modification eliminates the use of a clip and functions as a support for concrete that may be poured between the overlying panels, so as to provide a rigid support for the lower margins of the panels, which con crete is preferably poured'through the tubular members 82 which are eventually filled with concrete and form thestudding for the. wall.

The tubular form members, whether they be rectangular or round, are arranged in spaced relation from the bottom of the channel member or form member extending along the bottom of the tier, so that when the concrete is poured into the tubular member it is permitted to'fiow into the channel member or the; form member separating the tiers. The only weight that is supported by the concrete in the tubular member during the pouring. operation is its own weight, in that the concrete used in the subsequent tier is not poured until after the concrete has set in the tubular member'sufliciently 'to sustain the weight. Furthermore, the clearance between the lower ends of the tubular members and the next lower chan- I nel members relieves the pressure of the soft con 1 column of concrete is considerably lessthan if'one were to use one long continuous vertical tube extending all the way'from the upper edge of the wall to the bottom of the wall. Thus by using a plurality of short sections rather than one long section there are a number of advantages in addition to the ease of handling the short sections.

The tubular members in successive tiers are aligned vertically, so that when the wall is completed, the tubular. members form continuous studding-like supports extending from the bottomto the top of the-wall to thereby support the weight of the structure. The r'eenforcing rods, if used to reenforce the concrete in the tubular members, reenforce the wall frombottom to top. The concrete below the tubular member, spreading out into the channels, strengthens the wall, so

as to resist stresses, thereby maintaining the wall in a vertical position. The channels are preferably filled with concrete from one tubular member to each of the adjacentitubular members, so

.. that theconcrete in the channels between the panels gives rigidity to the wall.

When the concrete has been poured, the channel-like members I8 encase threesides of the horizontally disposed tiers of concrete and the tubular members cooperating with the channel members completely encase the vertical columns with the forming members, so that the form members reenforce the concrete-400th the horizontal spans of concrete and the vertical spans of concrete.

Figures 7 and 8 disclose a tubular member that is formed from a single sheet curved so as to form a semi-cylindrical member 90, having a pair of diametrically disposed marginal flanges 92 and 94, and a transverse slit'96 in the'center, so as to permit the ends to be brought together. By bringing the ends together, a tubular member is formed having the bottom held together by the flange portions 98 and the top held together by the edges ofthe hole in the bottom of the channel. Suitable tongues I00 are used in suspending the tubular member from the channel I8 or the channel 40 or form member I0, as the case may be. g g

In the modification disclosed in Figures 9 and 10, another type of a horizontally disposed chan- :nel hasbeen shown. The channel IIII has the Walls thereof provided with slots I02 adapted to receive clips or supporting members I04 that may be made from sheet metal and folded so as to provide a pair of flanges I06 and I08. The main body of I04 is projected into the slots I02 and the flanges I06 and IE8 are adapted to engage the outside of the panels both above and below the channel member I II I. abuts the side wall of the channel and the opposite side is held by the flanges I06 and I08.

In the modification disclosed in Figure 11, the channel III] is adapted to receive clips H2, each provided with a hook portion adapted to engage the wall of the channel. The clip members II2 terminate in a pair of flange portions I I4 and I I6, the flange portion lI4projecting upwardly and the fiange portion H6 projecting downwardly.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood.

that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in th form, details, pro portion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wall structure including horizontally disposed channel members arranged in parallel tiers, said channel members having apertures in the bottom thereof, form members projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the channel member toward the adjacent channel member located below, and concrete filling said form members and the channel members to provide a reenforced concrete frame structure, said form members being shorter than the distance'between adjacent channel members and having openings in the bottom ends thereof whereby a restricted amount of the concrete poured into the upper ends of said form members can flow out through the bottom ends of the form members into the channel member located below.

2. In a wall structure including horizontally disposed channel members arranged intiers, said channel members having apertures in the bottom One side of the panels thereofyfornl members .projectingridownwardly through the apertures in vthebottom 'ofsthe channel member toward the adjacent channelimem- 'ber located below, concrete filling said form'mema channel members having apertures in the bottom thereof, form members projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the channel member toward the adjacent channelmember located below, concrete filling said form members and the channel members to provide reenforced concrete frame structure, said form members being shorter than the distance between ...adjacent.channe1 members and having openings in the bottom ends thereof whereby a portion of the concrete poured into the upper ends of said form members can flowout through the bottom ends of the form.members into the channel member. located below, and means for holding said tiers in proper spaced relationship, said last named means comprisingside panel members fastened to said channelmembers. I v a 1 4. In a wall structure including horizontally disposed channel members arranged in tiers, said channel members having apertures in the bottom thereof, form members projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the channel member toward the adjacent channel member located below, said form members comprising open ended tubular elements smaller in cross section than said apertures so as to be insertable down through said apertures and being provided with radially projecting flanges adjacent the upper end thereof for limiting the downward movement of said form members within said apertures, and concrete filling said form members and the channel members to provide reenforced concrete frame structure, said form members being shorter than the distance between adjacent channel members whereby a portion of the concrete poured into the upper ends of said form members can flow out through the bottom ends of the form members into the channel member located below.

5. In a wall structure including horizontally disposed channel members arranged in tiers, said channel members having apertures in the bottom thereof, form members projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the channel member toward the adjacent channel member located below, and concrete filling said form members and the channel members to provide reenforced concrete frame structure, said form members being shorter than the distance between adjacent channel members and having openings in the bottom ends thereof whereby a portion of the concrete poured into the upper ends of said form members can flow out through the bottom ends of the form members into the channel member located below, said form members comprising opposed channel members hinged together at the bottom and free to spread adjacent the upper ends thereof into frictional engagement with the walls of said apertures in ,response to the outward pressure of the concrete as it is poured into said form members whereby the upper ends of the form members are frictionally held within said apertures against upward movement.

6. In a wall structure including horizontally disposed channel members arranged in tiers, said channel members having apertures in the bottom thereof, form members projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the chan nel member toward the'adjacent channel member located below, concrete filling said form members and the channel members to provide reenforced concrete frame structure, said form members being shorter than the vertical distance between adjacent channel members and having openings in the bottom ends thereofwhereby a portion of the concrete poured into the upper ends of said form members will flow out through the bottomends of the form members into the channel member located below, and means holding said tiers in proper spaced relationship, saidv said channel members having apertures in the bottom and having substantially vertically disposed side walls, panel members mounted adjacent said vertically disposed side walls and extending the full height between adjacent tiers of channel members, means securing the upper edges of said panel members to said channel members with the panel members in contact with the side walls of said channel members so as to hold the panel members and channel members in fixed relationship relative to one another, and form members suspended from said channel members and projecting downwardly through the apertures in the bottom of the channel members toward the adjacent channel member located below, each of said form members being supported wholly from the channel member immediately thereabove, and each of said channel members being supported wholly by the panel members immediately therebelow prior to the pouring of the concrete.

JESSE B. PIATT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,100,531 Cahill June 16, 1914 1,130,722 Fletcher Mar. 9, 1915 1,750,833 Carns Mar. 18, 1930 1,785,067 Bemis Dec. 16, 1930 1,924,724 1 Olney Aug. 29, 1933 1,963,056 Wilcox June 12, 1934 2,006,070 Di Stasio June 25, 1935 2,182,593 Levene Dec. 5, 1939 2,351,615 James June 20, 1944 

